Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 5 Recap: “Say the Word”

Monday is here and that means that another episode of The Walking Dead has passed. After the shock of last week’s episode, I was anxious to see what was in store for us this week. I will recap this season’s fifth episode for you. Be warned that ahead lies SPOILERS for the episode titled “Say the Word.”

Head past the jump for the recap.

Until the stories link up, as I would assume they would inevitably do, I will still break this up between the Prison and Woodbury stories.

Woodbury

The episode starts in Woodbury where the town is having a large party/picnic. Andrea is enjoying the benefit of generators with an ice-cold beverage. Michonne on the other hand is less than thrilled to still be in Woodbury.

Meanwhile in the Governor’s home, he is quietly combing the hair of the a little girl. Seems normal, until he pulls a chunk of her scalp and we realize that his daughter is a zombie. He calms her down by placing a canvas bag over her head and holding her.

The Governor is now outside in the town square, toasting to the success of Woodbury. Michonne takes this opportunity to sneak into the Governor’s home and take back her sword. As she reclaims her sword, she snoops around the room and finds a notebook. Inside the notebook are a list of names that end with the name Penny then followed by pages of hash marks. The Governor comes in with Merle and Milton to grab a few cases of beer. Michonne takes this cue to sneak out. Milton asks the Governor to postpone the festivities planned for the evening so that he may continue an experiment using the generators, but is overruled.

Michonne finds an area with stadium seating and walkers locked in a cage. She breaks open the lock and proceeds to dispatch each walker. Someone, who apparently was about to feed them, stumbles onto the scene.

Michonne, now caught, is questioned by the Governor. She then responds by asking her own question about Penny. The Governor is uncomfortable by the subject and quickly changes it back into something he can control. He says that Michonne is trying to get kicked out but that she would be a good fit for their research team. As the Governor holds the sword non-threateningly, Michonne then disarms him and hold the sword point to his neck before leaving. The Governor then asks Merle to have Andrea see him and to send the research team to get more walkers.

The Governor is quick to complain about Michonne to Andrea which in turn leads to her talking to Michonne about staying.

The research team head to a “walker collector” where several zombies have fallen in a deep ditch. They pull the zombies out by a large cargo net. Milton being more cautious is wearing bite-proof sleeves while Merle is saddling zombies to pull their teeth out with pliers.

I’m guessing the research team comes back pretty quickly because Merle stops Michonne and Andrea who are about to leave Woodbury. Merle mentions that they would need escorts, Andrea starts to agree with Michonne’s fear of Woodbury. But that fear is put to rest as Merle opens the gate. After more arguing Michonne walks out of Woodbury as Andrea watchers her through a slit in the gate.

Later in the evening, the town is having loud music and gathers in the area that Michonne earlier killed caged walkers. Andrea is surprised by the bright lights and noise that may attract other zombies, then shocked when she sees Merle and Caesar about to have a fistfight with walkers surrounding them. The walkers are chained but the chain can be loosened to allow the walkers to get closer to the fighters. The Governor says that this is a way for the town to blow off steam and learn not to be afraid of the walkers.

The Prison

Daryl is trying to shake Rick out of the shock that he is still in from last episode.

The baby needs formula so Daryl and Maggie head out on his motorcycle to scavenge other locations that may be able to provide formula.

Rick gets up, quickly grabs his axe, then heads into C Block without saying a word to anyone. Once inside, Rick proceeds to go “Tyrese” and starts clearing out zombies single-handedly.

Outside Glenn begins digging a grave. The prisoners walk up to him and profess their sympathy for their loses. The prisoners are still looking for a way to integrate themselves into the group, Glenn helps them by having them dig up two more graves. He then walks over to Hershel saying how he wished that they killed the prisoners from the start and that we would trade anyone for Maggie’s safety.

Glenn then tries to into C Block to retrieve Rick and make sure he is okay. When he approaches Rick, Rick turns and pins Glenn against the wall. After a suspenseful moment, Rick pushes Glenn aside as he moves deeper into C Block.

Daryl and Maggie are able to go to a daycare where they are able to find baby supplies and formula as well as dinner in the form of a possum. Daryl is reminded of his failures as he notices children artwork with one being signed by a Sofie. They soon return to the prison to finally feed the baby. Daryl asks if Carl has thought of a name for the baby girl. Carl can only think of the names of the women that the group has lost. Daryl names her “Li’l Ass Kicker.”

Rick finds the boiler room. Laurie’s body is nowhere to be seen except for a trail of blood leading to a zombie hunched against the wall. Full of rage, Rick places his gun inside the zombie’s mouth and kills it. Then takes his knife and continually stab the belly of the zombie.

Outside Daryl visits the graves and places a Cherokee Rose on Carol’s grave, the same type of rose that he gave her in hope to finding Sofia last season.

The final scene of the episode has Rick leaning against the wall, next to the zombie he massacred. Then a rotary phone rings and Rick speaks the his first line of the episode, “Hello?”

Another great episode, while not as intense as the last episode this episode was still full of emotion. I have read the comics and I may already know the significance of the phone, but it will be interesting seeing how it will play in a prison full of people. I will see you next week after another brand new episode of The Walking Dead.